Goal- Tighter, Quicker, Stronger & Faster

[Wbbfan1]

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-women/ekmarks-goals-tighter-quicker-stronger-and-faster/

 

[doggydaddy]

Amazing. Anyone questioning her decision to skip her senior year to prep for UConn, to paraphrase Vowelguy, is an idiot.

 

[Forty_four]

Sounds like she is Kelley Faris when Kelley was a senior except she will be only a freshman.
This girl definitely likes to be challenged, sets goals and then makes it happen.
She will be a fan favorite from the moment she steps on campus.

 

[pap49cba]

Talk about self-motivation. This kid sounds like UConn material thru and thru...

 

[VAMike23]

Amazing focus and commitment.

 

[CL82]

Boy she sounds like something special, doesn't she?

 

[UCONNfan1]

She played in a boys fall league with her brother’s AAU team and now is playing in a men’s league at her local recreation center.
“The idea is to make everything about myself tighter, quicker, stronger and faster,” she said. “Playing exclusively with males is different, but to be honest to get used to it very quickly. You do have to adapt your game to make sure you play well against them. It’s really good, perfect for me at this point.

Wow!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Well, she's working with Frank Johnson and John Lucas, who are great at what they do. And she's playing against guys, as she'll do in UConn practices. It all sounds good to me.

I recall reading about Linnae Harper, a stellar frosh at Kentucky that we recruited. She finished up a girls game and then went to play in a boy's game already in progress. Her team was trailing by a fair amount until she took the game over and got the win.

 

[winlots]

http://courantblogs.com/uconn-women/ekmarks-goals-tighter-quicker-stronger-and-faster/

 

[UcMiami]

Well, she's working with Frank Johnson and John Lucas, who are great at what they do. And she's playing against guys, as she'll do in UConn practices. It all sounds good to me.

I recall reading about Linnae Harper, a stellar frosh at Kentucky that we recruited. She finished up a girls game and then went to play in a boy's game already in progress. Her team was trailing by a fair amount until she took the game over and got the win.

Keep wondering why Harper isn't getting more run with KY.
The difference between what Courtney is doing now and what will happen in Uconn practices is that at Uconn if the male practice players get to tough on the women, they get dropped. I suspect in the men's league there aren't any of those rules!
Definitely sounds like someone with a plan - set the goals, map the route, travel the route, reach the goals.

 

[Kibitzer]

at Uconn if the male practice players get to tough on the women, they get dropped.

I never heard or read that before. Can you verify the quoted statement?

 

[UcMiami]

I never heard or read that before. Can you verify the quoted statement?

Can't remember what the show was, whether it was one of the SNY or CPTV specials that had a segment on the male practice players a while ago (and it could even have been a print article.) It was about the competition, the waiting list, the auditions, and the continuing evaluation. What they said was they had to let some guys go because they got too amped and forgot why they were there. They are supposed to provide solid competition, be disciplined on offense and defense, and leave their egos at the door. No hard fouls and not overly aggressive physically. Doesn't mean they don't play hard, just sensibly - any they probably don't want to be known on campus (and in the press) as the guy that gave Kaleena or Stewart a black eye.
My point was in a rec league or a boys league when the score is being kept, I doubt the guys recognize those 'niceties' and anything goes.

 

[HGN]

You have to admire her dedication. As long as she stays dedicated like she is , she will have a great carreer at UConn.

 

[Phil]

Amazing. Anyone questioning her decision to skip her senior year to prep for UConn, to paraphrase Vowelguy, is an idiot.

That's a little harsh. I think it is quite understandable that the decision would cause some people to wonder if it was the best decision. According to the reports, it sounds like it was the right decision, but that doesn't mean people who wondered were wrong to wonder.

 

[meyers7]

“You just wait and see,” said Bret McCormick, the editor of the All Star Girls Basketball website. “She is going to be one of Geno Auriemma’s favorite players. She reminds me so much of Kelly Faris, only with a better shot as a younger player.

Ok, sounds good. Kelly Faris with a better shot....I'll take it.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Amazing. Anyone questioning her decision to skip her senior year to prep for UConn, to paraphrase Vowelguy, is an idiot.

Suppose the A.D. at St. Mary's HS questions her decision to skip her senior year, is he an idiot? Suppose her former teammates at St. Mary's, that are still playing for the team question her decision to skip her senior year, are they idiots? Or is it just someone who posts on the subject who has a different opinion on the matter, he/she must be the idiot.
Your post would have been much better served if you left out the idiot part.

 

[UConnCat]

Suppose the A.D. at St. Mary's HS questions her decision to skip her senior year, is he an idiot? Suppose her former teammates at St. Mary's, that are still playing for the team question her decision to skip her senior year, are they idiots? Or is it just someone who posts on the subject who has a different opinion on the matter, he/she must be the idiot.
Your post would have been much better served if you left out the idiot part.

Are you saying the St Mary's AD questioned Ekmark's decision or supposing it? If so, please provide a cite to his statement. Are you saying Ekmark's teammates questioned her decision or supposing it? If so, again, please provide a cite to their statements.

How does UCLA commit Recee Caldwell's decision differ from Ekmark's? Was Caldwell's decision supported by her former teammates?

On Edit: One additional question: Would you feel differently about Ekmark's decision not to play her senior season at St Mary's if she had chosen to enroll early at UConn rather than pursue her current path?

 

[ochoopsfan]

Are you saying the St Mary's AD questioned Ekmark's decision or supposing it? If so, please provide a cite to his statement. Are you saying Ekmark's teammates questioned her decision or supposing it? If so, again, please provide a cite to their statements.

How does UCLA commit Recee Caldwell's decision differ from Ekmark's? Was Caldwell's decision supported by her former teammates?

On Edit: One additional question: Would you feel differently about Ekmark's decision not to play her senior season at St Mary's if she had chosen to enroll early at UConn rather than pursue her current path?

Since I prefaced my statement with "suppose" what do you think?

How about this, ask what the word "commitment" means to a team.
Then ask, why would a player leave a team when things aren't going well for them?
You might have to think about the above statement, or know more about the subject, then the fluff you read on line.

I wish Ms. Ekmark the best at UConn.

 

[UConnCat]

Since I prefaced my statement with "suppose" what do you think?

How about this, ask what the word "commitment" means to a team.
Then ask, why would a player leave a team when things aren't going well for them?
You might have to think about the above statement, or know more about the subject, then the fluff you read on line.

I wish Ms. Ekmark the best at UConn.

I wish the same for Ms. Caldwell at UCLA.

 

[doggydaddy]

Suppose the A.D. at St. Mary's HS questions her decision to skip her senior year, is he an idiot? Suppose her former teammates at St. Mary's, that are still playing for the team question her decision to skip her senior year, are they idiots? Or is it just someone who posts on the subject who has a different opinion on the matter, he/she must be the idiot.
Your post would have been much better served if you left out the idiot part.

No, the idiot part is quite accurate. And if her teammates questioned her decision, they are selfish as well.

She would not nearly be as prepared for UConn if she stayed at St Mary's and played with and against kids with much less talent. And for her, that is what this decision was all about. A few wins for her HS team? Please.

Yeah, I remember you questioning her decision when she made it.

 

[UcMiami]

No, the idiot part is quite accurate. And if her teammates questioned her decision, they are selfish as well.

She would not nearly be as prepared for UConn if she stayed at St Mary's and played with and against kids with much less talent. And for her, that is what this decision was all about. A few wins for her HS team? Please.

Yeah, I remember you questioning her decision when she made it.

The other thing is think of all the extra playing time those kids are getting because Courtney didn't return for her senior season. Heck with the way some people post on her about the bench, we should all be really happy that more kids are getting more minutes and who cares about W/L record it is playing the game that is important.

 

[Kibitzer]

“You just wait and see,” said Bret McCormick, the editor of the All Star Girls Basketball website. “She is going to be one of Geno Auriemma’s favorite players. She reminds me so much of Kelly Faris, only with a better shot as a younger player.

Ok, sounds good. Kelly Faris with a better shot....I'll take it.

If she's another Kelly Faris, I'll take her with no shot at all!

 

[rocky rococo]

Another Kelly Faris? Let's see her play defense with her feet from the first time she steps on the court. That was something that absolutely set Kelly apart. There are plenty of players that after 4 years of college still don't get that part. You almost never see it in a player straight out of HS. That Kelly not only did so, but with good technique, as a frosh, made my jaw drop.

 

[UConnCat]

There are certainly some similarities between Ekmark and Faris; both are very smart, very unselfish and good passers. Ekmark does not have Kelly's speed and athleticism and will not be the type of individual defender Kelly was/is.

 

[hjoerring]

No, the idiot part is quite accurate. And if her teammates questioned her decision, they are selfish as well.

She would not nearly be as prepared for UConn if she stayed at St Mary's and played with and against kids with much less talent. And for her, that is what this decision was all about. A few wins for her HS team? Please.

Yeah, I remember you questioning her decision when she made it.

I too think the 'idiot' comment is a bit too much. And your logic about not playing her senior year cannot be pushed too far. Let us remember that her parents asked for and received a working plan for the year. These decisions cannot be evaluated as dry and fast. It is difficult to say that she had little or nothing to gain from playing with her school team and it's new coach. Nor am I the home school kind of person- though I see a lot of home-schoolers with excellent credentials. Classrooms are the foundation of Democracy. Now, most of us would like out of the AAC because of the lack of competition for wbb. Given your logic it would be interesting if Stewart says she isn't coming back for her junior year because of the lack of competition and, even though practices are much more competitive than some supposedly high level games, they are not same as real games. Would it not be incumbent on US to say you go girl. Personally, I hope this doesn't become a trend in wbb. I have read (here) that she is a smart kid and may have speculated about early enrollment- I would not be happy about that if it was all i the name of playing bb (the coaches may have snuffed that out- who is to say). But I have slso read that she is not the quickest kid on the blocks and she has said things about the college game that tell me she is worried about a few things. That she wants to work on them is fine.